Internet search giant Google has released data suggesting that more Chicago residents are filing their taxes online, with searches for tax software provider TurboTax featuring prominently on the company’s list of top tax-related search terms.
According to Google, the fastest-rising tax-related search term in Chicago is “1040 instructions,” which is up 500 percent compared with this period last year. The second term on the list is “turbo tax,” which is up 450 percent from 2010, followed by “turbotax.”
The searches for TurboTax supplanted the terms “irs forms” and “tax forms,” which led the 2010 list. Those searches indicated that people were looking for the government forms to print out, complete and mail.
TurboTax is one of the most popular providers of e-filing and online tax preparation software. Last month, TurboTax owner Intuit Inc. cited Internal Revenue Service data showing that consumer e-filing was outstripping other methods. Dan Maurer, senior vice president and general manager of Intuit’s consumer group, said the numbers show “the continued shift to digital do-it-yourself tax preparation.”
Nationally, the top five fastest-rising Google search terms for the 2011 tax season are all brand names: H&R Block, TurboTax and Jackson Hewitt. H&R Block ranked No. 7 on the Chicago list for 2011, while Jackson Hewitt failed to make the list.
With e-file and direct deposit you get your refund back in a week. I don’t see any reason to go back to mailing in the full form anymore.